Police, community, state and calendar briefs for April 9, 2012

Sunday

Apr 8, 2012 at 6:47 PM

Man interrupts Easter serviceA Belleview man decided he wanted atonement for his sins on Easter Sunday when he crashed a church service of about 500 people, according to an officer from the Belleview Police Department.Michael Jones, 36, interrupted Easter service at the First Baptist Church on Agnew Road when he jumped onto the altar while a preacher delivered a sermon. Jones came into the church, jumped on the stage and raised his hands into the air.The officer said churchgoers recall the man had a strange look on his face as he stood with his hands raised. After a few minutes, he jumped down and exited the church.On the way out, he told one churchgoer he was on his way to a local store. Police met up with Jones, who told officers he “wanted to release his spiritual stress” when he interrupted the service. The officers said Jones told authorities that Belleview was boring and that he had nothing else to do.Authorities took Jones into custody under the Baker Act.

Man accused of kidnap, assaultA Silver Springs man kidnapped a woman and drove into the forest until authorities tracked them down.The man, Andrew Murphy, 25, was arrested and charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, fleeing and eluding a police officer, domestic battery, violation of a domestic injunction and resisting arrest without violence on Saturday, according to police reports.Murphy went to the victim's parent's house where he took her cell phone and then forced her into her red Jeep Cherokee at around 5 a.m. Murphy refused to let the victim go and held her captive in the car where he forced her to kiss him and sexually assaulted her, according to the report.The victim's co-worker called the Marion County Sheriff's Office after she didn't show up to work on Saturday morning. The co-worker told authorities that she had spoken with the victim and was notified that she was being held against her will. Authorities then called the victim on her cell phone and she told them Murphy wouldn't let her speak. But they were able to determine her location after they asked her a series of yes or no questions. Authorities caught up with their vehicle on Highway 19 and a chase ensued. Murphy called authorities using the victim's cell phone and told them to “back off” and he would pull over. He hung up and continued to speed away on Highway 40, according to the report.A sheriff's office air unit spotted the vehicle northbound on 179th Avenue Road. The victim tried to escape, but was pulled back in by Murphy. The vehicle continued down a dirt road, until it stopped and the victim escaped. The suspect also tried to escape until a K9 unit dispatched to the area found Murphy hiding in the woods.

Holiday dinner fight ends in arrestA holiday dinner went afoul when an Ocala man attacked his ex-wife on Saturday night.The woman had invited Michael Blanco, 33, over for Easter dinner when the man started to rough her up, according to police reports. Blanco accused his ex-wife of having relations with the neighbors, and the two began to argue.The victim told authorities Blanco began to push her around, but she was able to get him out the house and locked the front door.Blanco then kicked in the door and pursued the woman. She ran to her children, who were home at the time, and told them to lock the doors to their rooms and call 911. The victim ran out the house and began to scream for help, when Blanco grabbed and pulled her back into the house by her hair. He then pinned her to a couch when a neighbor walked in. Blanco then ran away, according to police reports.Authorities then showed up to the scene, but could not find him. At around 1:30 on Sunday morning, authorities were notified that Blanco had returned to the house and asked for the keys to the victim's black, Chevy Silverado. Authorities were able to track Blanco down and returned the victim's pick-up truck to her home, according to the report.He was arrested and charged with burglary with battery, occupied burglary, grand theft and driving with a suspended license and transferred to the Marion County jail.

Broken bottles used in bar brawl attackFORT WALTON BEACH — Two men are being treated in the hospital after being stabbed with broken beer bottles during a club brawl in Fort Walton Beach.Police say 30-year-old Edmundo Gonzalez-Ramirez is listed in fair condition at the hospital while 23-year-old Gregorio Sanchez-Perez is in stable condition. Police say a fight broke out early Saturday after a man punched a woman inside a club. The fight then moved outdoors.The men were injured with broken bottles used as weapons in the fight.

Crocodile population in South Florida growingMIAMI — Crocodiles are making a comeback in South Florida. The population has multiplied nearly 10-fold since the 1970s. Today, there are more than 1,500 American crocodiles in South Florida.University of Florida professor Frank Mazzotti says the crocs are reoccupying territory they retreated from as their population dwindled because of hide hunters and coastal development. The American crocodile is often confused with its plentiful cousin, the alligator. Alligators are black and have broad, rounded snouts. Crocodiles are grayish, have narrow, tapered snouts and their only U.S. habitat is in South Florida.

TODAY

TOWN HALL: U.S. Rep. Daniel Webster is hosting Town Hall Community Discussions throughout Central Florida, including at 1 p.m., Monday, April 9, at the Silver Springs Shores Community Center, 590 Silver Road, Ocala. (407-654-5705)

DUNNELLON COUNCIL: The Dunnellon City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 9, Dunnellon City Hall, 20750 River Drive, Dunnellon. (465-8503 or www.dunnellon.org)

INTERNATIONAL SINGERS: The International Singers practice 9 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, April 9, Church on the Square, 1000 Alvarez Ave. The Villages. (259-9432)